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Dwarf Hamsters?

carnivorouszoo

carnivorouszoo

Crazy Critter Lady
My mice had not had babies by this morning and I needed to feed my snakes so I ran to the pet shop to get some large pinks. All he had were some dwarf hamster fuzzies. Has anyone ever fed these? My corn gobbled hers up (I know she was blue a day or two ago but she was acting really hungry I think.) and my sand boa needed prodding (we do not know the last time he ate before coming to us). I think he may have been fed live before as he ignored it until I made it move. Then he struck, constricted and sat there "holding" the thing until I mimiced "struggling". Then he began to eat. Both snakes ate fine and have not shown signs of regurge. My corn I swear it looked like she had a satisfied smile on her little face lol! I waited an hour and a half before moving them to their cages from their feeding enclosures. Just to be sure they had time to move the food back and settle.

After I had given my snakes the dwarf hammies I went to fill the water in my mouse colony and what do we have here? 5 little pinks! Our chocolate female had her babies. At least 2 of the others are ready to pop anytime.

If dwarf hamsters are ok to offer I can get a pair from the pet shop for $8.
 
I mean ok to offer as in in rotation with mice, not as in are my snakes going to die from eating them. Just wanted to clarify!
 
The only concerns are the possibility that your corn will really take to hamsters and want them exclusively. This isn't that common, especially if you mix it up, but if it happens it could be a pain. The other thing to watch out for is that hamsters develop teeth faster than mice and a fuzzy can pack a bite so you may want to go with f/t. I've had good luck using hamter pinks on fussy hatchlings and occasionally feed some extras from my breeding colonies to the corns. I have to get them when they are young though because an adult dwarf hammie is often too fat for your average adult corn.
 
don't feed your snakey hamsties!!! it's like getting a hairball stuck in your throat..

well, maybe not but you risk them not taking mice again and hamsters are lots of monies.
 
carol said:
The only concerns are the possibility that your corn will really take to hamsters and want them exclusively. This isn't that common, especially if you mix it up, but if it happens it could be a pain. The other thing to watch out for is that hamsters develop teeth faster than mice and a fuzzy can pack a bite so you may want to go with f/t. I've had good luck using hamter pinks on fussy hatchlings and occasionally feed some extras from my breeding colonies to the corns. I have to get them when they are young though because an adult dwarf hammie is often too fat for your average adult corn.
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I only feed frozen. I am setting up a CO2 chamber for furred feeders. So no worries there.


MedusaCorns said:
you risk them not taking mice again and hamsters are lots of monies.
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It won't cost lots if I am raising them myself. Well other than initial pairing costs. So other than they might not eat mice again and the cost of buying hammies there is no reason they can't be fed them? Great. Like I said I can get a pair for like $8!
 
Jenstar said:
Hamsters are to freaking cute to feed to your snake. Plus they cost way more. :(
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Its $8 for a pair at my local shop. Yeah they are cute but so are mice. I like mice WAY more than hammies, I have scars as to why too. If you are breeding the feeders yourself I don't see how one can cost more than the other in the long run. Other than mice might give more babies per litter. I suppose that it just depends on how you see it. If you feel it costs too much don't do it but if you think its worth it go for it right?

Hubby already said I can get a pair when we get paid on the 27th. Especially since I was give 2 ten gallon tanks :D
 
The only thing I would suggest here is what has already been addressed. Your snake could end up loving it so much that your snake could end up refusing any other form of food.
My snake used to eat mice and rats, after a while he just lost interest in rats altogether. He would just lick it and then leave, which can kinda be a pain for shopping for snake feed if all they have in are rat pups lol.
Poor snake though, next time he/she feeds there gonna be all excited then be like.... oh, its a rat/mouse... wheres my hamster!
 
Hamsters don't breed like mice either. Your going to have to replace the female every 6-8 months. Lucky if the dwarf has more then 3 pups every time too. But I guess lessons will have to be learned the hard way :sidestep:
 
MedusaCorns said:
Hamsters don't breed like mice either. Your going to have to replace the female every 6-8 months. Lucky if the dwarf has more then 3 pups every time too. But I guess lessons will have to be learned the hard way :sidestep:
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Or some people don't mind a bit of a challenge. Breeder females don't last as long but they mature to breeding age faster. I have some females that have 8 pups, but the average is 4. I'm pretty sure the gestation time is shorter in hammies too. Mice are far better if you are going to only breed one type of rodent, but a few pairs or trios of drawfs is a good thing to have for anyone who plans of breeding their snakes.
They tend to be more extreme, if you handle them they are way nicer than mice, but if you don't, they are much meaner. I've also had the hammies go on breeding strikes in the heat. However, they have earned their keep many times over and they don't stink as bad as the mice.
 
yeah, I have been raising many colors and coat patterns of dwarfs for years. I have to make sure I log when my females started to breed cause if I forget and let them go the female will become old and I risk loosing a line. My ham pups sell for pets and one time I almost lost my whole line of Black Eyed Lilac Mottles because I was so happy with one pairing my girl got old and had no more :( Sometimes rodents are pains. I believe she was about a year old when she decided to have her little menopause lol..

That's weird Carol about your breeding's in hot weather. Mine stop for the winter and in spring and summer OMG hamster city. I use to have bigger litters and more boys when I lived in the mountains. Now I'm more in the southern part of the state I have more girls and less in the litter.. Maybe it's the elevation?? like baking a cake lol.
 
MedusaCorns said:
Hamsters don't breed like mice either. Your going to have to replace the female every 6-8 months. Lucky if the dwarf has more then 3 pups every time too. But I guess lessons will have to be learned the hard way :sidestep:
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Its not a lesson for me. Ok I am learning I will need more than one pair to be sure I can propperly supply my snake should she decide to eat only hams but I really don't see it happening since I would probably only offer one every 3rd feeding. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the advice I really do! That is why I posted!

carol said:
Or some people don't mind a bit of a challenge. Breeder females don't last as long but they mature to breeding age faster. I have some females that have 8 pups, but the average is 4. I'm pretty sure the gestation time is shorter in hammies too. Mice are far better if you are going to only breed one type of rodent, but a few pairs or trios of drawfs is a good thing to have for anyone who plans of breeding their snakes.
They tend to be more extreme, if you handle them they are way nicer than mice, but if you don't, they are much meaner. I've also had the hammies go on breeding strikes in the heat. However, they have earned their keep many times over and they don't stink as bad as the mice.
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You can do trios with dwarfs? That's even better! I'll start with one trio and keep 2 females from them and get another male from my local shop when needed. I'm going to go find a breeding info sheet on Dwarfs. I want to keep info on hand so I know.

I live for challenges and love to raise rodents. If my snakes will eat them and I can sell the excess frozen I figure I should have fun with this. Um, does this make me sick or twisted? I hope not I hope I am just being well prepared.

Thank you to everyone for your concern and information! It is greatly appreciated!
 
I've heard some people have problems with it but all my drawfs are in trios and they are producing like crazy.
 
This is just an honest question, not intended to offend, just food for thought. Hamsters aren't native to the U.S. right? A cornsnake in it's natural habitat wouldn't normally encounter a hamster. My question is: are the snake's digestive systems even made to process hamsters? I could be totally off here. Hamsters could be so similar that it doesn't really matter. I was just thinking that's all. I am ofcourse, interested everyone's thoughts on this. Sorry if this is stupid. It wouldn't be the first time that I have asked a stupid question.
 
No offense taken. :) Mine handle it just fine. Even though they don't eat hamsters in the wild, I'm sure their diet it much more varied with birds, lizards and multiple types of rodents. The nutritional value isn't exactly the same but I've had some corns refuse to eat anything besides hamsters for the first year of thier life and they grew just fine on them. Many captive animals thrive on food that is not what they'd be eating in the wild.

http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp
 
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